Jerome Gambit: "Nothing" Moves

It is a good idea not to ignore "nothing" moves by your opponent, as they may contain threats that need to be attended to.

chessriddler - CrazyHorses

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6 

There are 225 examples of this position in The Database.

10.d3 d5 

A proper strike at the center.

11.b3 

This appears to be a "nothing" move, allowing Black to win the e-pawn. It can be properly met by 11...Qe5, but this is a blitz game, and things can be overlooked. 

11...dxe4 12.Ba3 Black resigned 

Ouch.

The game follows the path of shugart - pitagorico, blitz, FICS, 2013, which had the additional moves 12...c5 13.Bxc5 before Black resigned.

Jerome Gambit: See Saw Blitz

The following game shows the possible effect of blitz time controls on ches play.

drumme - laspac

The FICS player drumme has over 800 games in The Database.

5 0 blitz, FICS, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian Opening (sometimes referred to as the Anti-Fried Liver Defense; see "Italian Game Anti-Fried Liver Defense [Parts 1 and 2]").

As I wrote in "A Jerome Look At The Semi-Italian Opening (Parts 1, 2, and 3)"

Chess Master Vs Chess Amateur (1963), byMax Euwe and Walter Meiden. Here is what the authors say about Black's third move (I have changed the notation from English descriptive to algebraic).

This is a favorite move of the weaker amateur. He fears some future attack by the White QB (Bg5, for instance) or by the White KN (Ng5), and, before the White QB is even able to move, he plays the precautionary 3...h6. In certain positions, such a precautionary move is occasionally necessary, but in this position, not only is it not necessary, but it consumes valuable time. This puts Black one move behind White in the type of opening where tempi are of greatest importance. Instead of meeting the enemy's rapidly mobilizing forces with armed soldiers (i.e., by bringing out his pieces), Black only loses time and force, and, without realizing it, even weakens his defensive wall...

4.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit (also called the Accelerated Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit - see "Accelerated Instant Victory")

The Database has 3,173 games with this line, with White scoring 42%. By comparison, drumme has 178 games with the line, scoring 51% - almost 10% better than the average Jerome Gambit club player.

He might consider varying with 4.O-O Bc5 and then 5.Bxf7+, taking a tip from The Database where there are 380 such games, with White scoring 62%. (To date, I don't think he has.)

By the way, in 265 games with the Jerome Gambit proper, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, drumme has scored 49%, a bit under the results of the average Jerome Gambit club player, 52%, according to The Database.

4...Kxf7 5.d4 d6 6.dxe5 

6...dxe5 

An automatic response which leads to consequences that Black probably had not anticipated.

7.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Of course, not 7...Nxe5 because of 8.Qxd8.

However, as we shall see, 7...Kf6 was the right King move, when the game is even, e.g. 8.Qf3+!? Kxe5 9.Qf7 Nf6 10.f4+ Kd6 11.e5+ Nxe5 12.fxe5+ Kc6 13.Qc4+ Bc5 14.Be3 Qd5 15.Qxc5+ Qxc5 16.Bxc5 Kxc5.

8.Qg4+ 

White, too, steps off of the path. Instead, he had 8.Qxd8 Nxd8 9.Ng6, taking advantage of the unprotected g6 square

8...Kxe5 

This piece lacks poison.

9.Bf4+ 

While scary looking, this move and 9.f4+ are not actually dangerous.

9...Kxe4 

This capture should lead to indigestion. It was time for the King to retreat to f6.

10.Bxc7+ 

Again: scary. Attacking the enemy Queen with check.

Black resigned

But, wait a minute... Doesn't Black just have 10...Bg4 ? True, White then wins Black's Queen with 11.Bxd8, but then comes 11...Rxd8 and 12.f3+ Kf5 13.fxg4+ Kxg4 would leave Black clearly better.

And, yet... Had White found 10.Nc3+ Kd4 11.Qe2 a6 12.Qd3+ Kc5 13.Na4+ Kb4 14.Bd2+ Kxa4 15.Qb3 checkmate the game would have still been his.